Occupation‑specific Language Training (OSLT) Program for Newcomers to Canada

What is Occupation-specific Language Training?

The Occupation-specific Language Training (OSLT) Program at George Brown College helps prepare newcomers for the workplace by focusing on the language and communication expectations of specific occupations in Canada. Many newcomers have considerable background and experience from their home country but have not worked in their field in Canada. OSLT builds cultural awareness to support communication in a professional Canadian work environment. Learning materials and activities reflect common workplace-based situations. The college's instructors are experienced in teaching ESL to adults and draw upon the participants' knowledge and experience of the subject matter. George Brown College, located in the heart of downtown Toronto, Canada's largest city, offers newcomers the resources and the network to succeed in the Canadian job market.

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Course Outcomes

Participants will develop the language and communication skills needed to:

Understand workplace culture in their occupation and sector
Interact effectively with their colleagues, clients and supervisors
Give and receive information by email and telephone
Interview and network effectively
Develop soft skills

Course Content

Depending on the sector, OSLT courses may include the following:

Unit 1. Working in the Sector

Participants learn about the resources they can use to identify the general requirements, qualifications and processes for working in their field in Ontario. Participants gain insight into Canadian workplace culture and practice introducing themselves professionally.

Unit 2. Gathering and Sharing Information

Participants practice asking questions clearly and appropriately to obtain information as well as develop skills needed to share and present information accurately.

Unit 3. Communicating Using Technology

Participants practice using technology to communicate, including by telephone, email and other Internet-based communication media.

Unit 4. Managing Interactions

Participants practice strategies for managing interactions including formal and informal interactions, strategies for negotiating workplace issues, managing situations that require assertiveness or conflict resolution.

Unit 5. Moving Forward

Participants prepare for employment searches, including asking for references and researching networking opportunities. Participants also practice decoding job ads, presenting their accomplishments and practice their in-person and telephone interview skills.

Download the OSLT Guide for an overview of courses.

Eligibility

Participants must be permanent residents, convention refugees/protected persons, CUAET (Ukrainian temporary residents, or their dependent(s) in Canada (until March 31, 2025)), or temporary residents affected by the crisis in Gaza (showing “MOME2023” in status documentation until March 31, 2027) and have:

Training or experience in a specified occupation or sector but need to improve their occupation-specific communication skills
Language proficiency at Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) levels 6 to 8* in at least one language skill area or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) of 5/6 to 8 for courses taught in French

*Inter-professional Health Care Teams and Professional Managers courses require CLB levels 7-8.

Current Schedule

Business – Accounting/Finance (Spring 2025)

Workplace Communication Skills for Accounting and Finance: This practical and innovative course helps participants with training or experience in accounting or finance understand business workplaces in Ontario; effectively interact with customers, colleagues, suppliers, financial officers and government officials; develop strong interviewing, networking, socio-cultural and career-building communication skills; practise common on-the-job communication to improve occupation-specific language skills; and, learn how to use appropriate workplace communication in a variety of business and financial settings.
Accounting and Finance – OSLT (co-oslt.org)

Business – Entrepreneur/Sales & Marketing (Spring 2025)

Workplace Communication Skills for Entrepreneurship and Sales and Marketing: This practical and innovative course helps participants with training or experience in running a business or sales and marketing; understand business workplaces in Ontario; effectively interact with customers, colleagues, employees, suppliers, financial officers and government officials; develop strong interviewing, networking, socio-cultural and career-building communication skills; practise common on-the-job communication to improve your occupation-specific language skills; and, learn how to use appropriate workplace communication in a variety of business settings.
Entrepreneurship and Sales & Marketing – OSLT (co-oslt.org)

Business – Professional Managers (May 13 – Aug. 21, 2024 & Sep. 10 – Dec. 12, 2024)

Workplace Communications Skills for Professional Managers: This course focuses on the language and socio-cultural communication requirements of professional managers at CLB 7 to 8. The course addresses the language and communication skills needed to gather and share information with staff, colleagues and upper levels of management; communicate in one-on-one interactions, in meetings and through email; manage challenging interactions with staff, colleagues and upper levels of management; give presentations appropriate for managers. Sector background knowledge and culture relevant to the workplace context in Ontario are explicitly addressed in communication practice tasks.
Professional Managers – OSLT (co-oslt.org)

Business - Writing Professionally (ONLINE)¹ (Oct 30 – Dec. 18, 2024)

This online course focuses on professional writing skills. Participants will practice writing in a variety of professional contexts as well as develop strategies for effective writing.
¹Must have successfully completed:
- OSLT Business; or
- OSLT Technology; or
- OSLT Project Management; or
- OSLT Professional Managers; or
- OSLT Communicating in the Business/Technology Sector (40-hour online)
  Writing Professionally - OSLT (co-solt.org)

Business (ONLINE) – 40-hour per module

This practical and innovative course consists of 3 – online modules will help participants with experience or training in accounting, finance, entrepreneur, project management, sales & marketing and technology understand business, financial and IT workplaces in Ontario; clearly and effectively interact with colleagues, clients and supervisors; develop strong interviewing, networking, socio-cultural and career-building communication skills; practise common on-the-job communication to improve occupation-specific language skills; and, learn how to use appropriate workplace communication in business, financial and IT.

Module 1: Accessing the Business Job Market in Ontario (Jan 9 – Feb 13, 2025)
This online course addresses the language and communication skills needed to introduce yourself professionally in the job search context, describe requirements for working in your chosen occupation in Ontario and develop a Job Action Plan for securing employment in your chosen occupation.
Accessing the Business Job Market in Ontario – OSLT (co-oslt.org)

Module 2: Communicating in the Business Sector (Feb 20 – Mar 27, 2025)
This online course addresses the language and communication skills needed to improve communication skills within the context of your field, preparing presentations, gathering and sharing information in the workplace.
Communicating in the Business Sector in Ontario – OSLT (co-oslt.org)

Module 3: Managing Workplace Interactions (Sep 18 – Oct 23, 2024)
This online course addresses the language and communication skills needed to deal with challenging interactions, negotiate and solve problems, participate in meetings, explore workplace structures and cultural concepts.
Managing Workplace Interactions in Ontario – OSLT (co-oslt.org)

Construction Trades (ONLINE) – 40-hour module

This practical and innovative course consists of online modules that will help participants with experience or training in Construction Skilled Trades, Construction Management/Supervision, Construction Project Management, Architectural Technology, Engineering, or Building Official to improve their workplace language skills and understand construction workplace in Ontario.
Module 1: Accessing the Construction Trades Job Market in Ontario (To Be Determined)
This online course addresses the language and communication skills needed to introduce yourself professionally in the job search context, describe requirements for working in your chosen occupation in Ontario and develop a Job Action Plan for securing employment in your chosen occupation.
Accessing the Construction Trades Job Market in Ontario – OSLT (co-oslt.org)

Module 2: Communicating in the Construction Trades Sector (To Be Determined)
This online course addresses the language and communication skills needed to improve communication skills within the context of your field, preparing presentations, gathering and sharing information in the workplace.
Communicating in the Construction Trades – OSLT (co-oslt.org)

Module 3: Construction and Building Inspection (Jan 21 – Mar 11, 2025)
This online course addresses the language and communication skills needed to work as building official, with a focus on building inspectors.
Workplace Communication Skills for Construction and Building Inspection - OSLT - Occupation-specific Language Training (co-oslt.org)

Health Care (Spring 2025)

This practical and innovative course will help participants with experience or training in dental hygiene, medical laboratory technology, medical radiation technology, nursing, personal support work (PSW) and sleep technology address the language and socio-communication skills needed to collect and share information with others; communicate using technology such as telephone and email; manage interactions with colleagues, clients and clients’ family members; introduce oneself in work-related situations; undertake employment and work-related interviews; and network effectively. Sector background knowledge and culture relevant to the health sciences workplace context in Ontario are explicitly addressed in communication practice tasks.
Health Care – OSLT (co-oslt.org)

Interprofessional for Health Care Teams (Sep. 10 – Dec. 12, 2024)

This practical and innovative course will help participants with experience or training in nursing, dietetics, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and social work address communication skills needed for successful communication in inter-professional health care teams. Communication skills covered in the course include describing one's occupation to another professional; providing and gathering information on client care; writing a progress note; seeking assistance from team members; providing assistance to team members; managing challenging team interactions.
Interprofessional Health Care Teams – OSLT (co-oslt.org)

Health Sciences (ONLINE) – 40-hour per module

This practical and innovative course consists of 3 – online modules will help participants with experience or training in dental hygiene, dietetics, medical laboratory technology, medical radiation technology, nursing, occupational therapy, personal support work, physiotherapy, sleep technology or social work understand health care workplaces in Ontario such as hospitals, clinics and nursing homes; clearly and effectively interact with colleagues, clients and supervisors; develop strong interviewing, networking, socio-cultural and career-building communication skills; practise common on-the-job communication to improve occupation-specific language skills; and, learn how to use appropriate workplace communication in health care settings such as clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, community agencies, medical offices and residences.

Module 1: Accessing the Health Care Job Market in Ontario (To Be Determined)
This online course addresses the language and communication skills needed to introduce yourself professionally in the job search context, describe requirements for working in your chosen occupation in Ontario and develop a Job Action Plan for securing employment in your chosen occupation.
Accessing the Health Care Job Market in Ontario – OSLT (co-oslt.org)

Module 2: Communicating in the Health Care Sector (To Be Determined)
This online course addresses the language and communication skills needed to ask common questions in a data collection interview, document data collection findings and conduct telephone calls appropriately.
Communicating in the Health Care Sector in Ontario – OSLT (co-oslt.org)

Module 3: Managing Health Care Interactions (To Be Determined)
This online course addresses the language and communication skills needed to give instructions for routine procedures, provide health teaching, provide comfort and reassurance, and manage challenging interactions.
Managing Health Care Interactions in Ontario – OSLT (co-oslt.org)

21-Hour OSLT Modules for Nurses in the Workplace

These online modules focus on the language and socio-cultural communication requirements for working as nurses at CLB 6-8.

Module	Description	Online Schedule
Module 1: Exploring Intercultural Communication	Recognize the impact of culture on communication in the health care workplace. Discuss related concepts, such as culture, workplace culture, cultural orientations and cultural competence.	Oct 2 – Oct 16, 2024 Wednesdays 6:30pm – 8:30pm*
Module 2: Gathering Information from Clients	Improve language and cultural communication skills for gathering information from clients as part of a health assessment and how to build trust and rapport across cultures.	Oct 23 – Nov 6, 2024 Wednesdays 6:30pm – 8:30pm*
Module 3: Giving Verbal Reports	Understand the importance of adapting communication to suit the context, audience and purpose when giving and receiving verbal reports with colleagues.	Nov 13–Nov 27, 2024 Wednesdays 6:30pm – 8:30pm*
Module 4: Writing Progress Notes	Focus on language and cultural communication skills for writing progress notes and explore various cultural perspectives related to risk and responsibility in the context of documentation.	Dec 4 – Dec 18, 2024 Wednesdays 6:30pm – 8:30pm*
Module 5: Using Telephone and Email	Learn about cultural norms in a professional context for each mode of communication, as well as strategies for avoiding miscommunication.	Jan 8– Jan 22, 2025 Wednesdays 6:30pm – 8:30pm*
Module 6: Managing Interactions with Clients	Practice language and cultural communication skills for providing comfort and reassurance to clients, as well as explaining, instructing and advising within the Ontario health care context.	Jan 29 – Feb 12, 2025 Wednesdays 6:30pm – 8:30pm*
Module 7: Managing Interactions with Colleagues	Explore workplace structures across cultures and their impact on communication with colleagues within the health care context.	Feb 19– Mar 5, 2025 Wednesdays 6:30pm – 8:30pm*
Module 8: Managing Challenging Interactions	Highlight the value of interpersonal communication skills and provide guidelines and strategies for navigating different challenging interactions in the Canadian health care workplace.	Mar 12–Mar 26, 2025 Wednesdays 6:30pm – 8:30pm*

Health Sciences - Writing Professionally (ONLINE)² (Jan. 16 – Mar. 6, 2025)

This online course focuses on professional writing skills. Participants will practice writing in a variety of professional contexts as well as develop strategies for effective writing.
Writing Professionally in the Health Care Sector – OSLT (co-oslt.org)

²Must have successfully completed:
- OSLT Health Care; or
- OSLT Interprofessional Health Care Teams; or
- OSLT Health Sciences (Online) – Communicating in the Health Care Sector

How to Apply

To be considered, please submit the following documents by email to: oslt@georgebrown.ca

a copy of your resume; &
a valid Canadian Language Benchmark* (CLB) score (must be taken within 24 months of the start date of the OSLT course).

To book a CLB assessment, please contact the YMCA Language Assessment and Referral Services: Language Assessment and Referral Services | YMCA GTA

George Brown College
School of ESL & Immigrant Education
341 King St. E, 3rd Floor, Room 317

Toronto ON M5A 1L1
Email: oslt@georgebrown.ca
Phone: 416-415-5000 ext. 6980

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